How bad is the drought in the western US?

How bad is the current drought in the West? It’s very bad, both in terms of the size of the affected area and the severity. The latest map from the drought monitor shows that 90 percent of what it considers the West — California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana — is in drought.

Is 2021 going to be a drought year?

According to the NOAA U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook, covering September through December 2021, existing drought conditions are expected to persist across the West and western side of the Midwest, in addition to pockets spanning from Texas northward to Nebraska.

Why is Western US so dry?

Three main factors contribute to the natural phenomenon of drought: snowpack, soil moisture and temperatures. The Western states depend on snowpack for a good portion of their water supply. And right now, the soil across the region is exceptionally dry.

What states are in drought right now?

Last week, fire officials in California were responding to several different wildfires as the state faced record-breaking high temperatures. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles and San Diego both reported record-breaking temperatures last week as well, including some that exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Is California still in a drought 2021?

Are we facing another drought? California entered 2020 almost bone-dry. And 2021 has been even worse. In July of 2021, 85\% of the state is facing extreme drought.

Will 2022 be a drought year?

Drought predictions for winter 2021-2022 “Severe to exceptional drought” will continue to dominate the western half of the continental U.S., Northern Plains, and the Missouri River Basin, NOAA’s outlook says.

What states are in a drought 2021?

As of October 12, 2021, drought conditions are most severe in the western U.S. States of California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Montana, and North Dakota.

Which two states are not affected by drought?

Drought and/or abnormally dry conditions affect some or all of most states—only Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine have been spared.

What state has the worst drought?

The state enduring the worst drought is Utah, according to Drought Monitor data for the week ending July 12. As much as 65.2\% of land area in the state is in exceptional drought (D4) — the maximum level of drought.

How long will Western drought last?

Drought expected to persist in much of the Western US through 2022 and beyond, according to NOAA report. The need for water in the West will continue unless emissions are curbed. The U.S. Southwest is grappling with a decades-long megadrought exacerbated by global warming.

Is the Midwest in a drought?

The Plains and Upper Midwest are growing drier as drought deepens in the West. A 53-foot waterfall in Minneapolis has been reduced to a trickle. Eight percent of land in the state now falls under that description, and about 50 percent is in extreme drought, the next level.

Is Colorado in a drought?

Drought continues to spread back across Colorado after a dry summer and start to fall, with nearly all the state at least abnormally dry just three months after more than half the state was drought-free. Nearly all the Denver metro area is now under moderate drought conditions.

What states are currently in drought?

The United States is currently under drought conditions from portions of the Midwest and southern plains all the way to California, Oregon and Washington.

What states have drought?

A. The Great Plains is the area of our country most at risk for droughts. This includes parts of ten states—Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

What are the conditions of a drought?

There are three conditions that are generally referred to as drought: Meteorological drought—This type of drought all about the weather and occurs when there is a prolonged period of below average precipitation, which creates a natural shortage of available water.

Is the US in a drought?

Drought in the United States is similar to that of other portions of the globe. Below normal precipitation leads to drought, which is caused by an above average persistence of high pressure over the drought area.